Mbabane – Eswatini National Court gave a shoplifting 37-year old woman a four-months imprisonment sentence without an option of a fine on Tuesday.
This was when the Mbabane-based Eswatini National Court President Two-minute Shongwe pronounced the sentence to Nomcebo Ndzimandze who was accused of stealing two 300g bottles of Jacobs coffee worth E379 from the Woodlands Shoprite outlet on May 23, 2025.
It was after a witness, SSG security guard, Meluleki Ndlovu, had told the court that Ndzimandze had acted suspicious as soon as she asked him for directions to public transport. Ndlovu said it was not his first time meeting with Ndzimandze as she frequently visited the shop. But acting on his suspicions he followed her after resisting to give her the directions she sought whereupon he arleted a police officer identified as Magongo.
Ndlovu said she followed the suspect and personally saw her discreetly transferring one coffee bottle from under her skirt into her bag. Escorted to the police station, Ndzimandze was found with two bottles of the coffee upon being searched by a female officer.
When questioned, Ndzimandze admitted she lifted the coffee bottles from the shop. Ndlovu said out her volition, Ndzimandze said it was a mistake. Ndlovu testified in court that Ndzimandze did not purchase anything on the day.
Ndzimandze pleaded guilty and said she was remorseful. In mitigation, she said she is a single mother of six children. She told the court that this has been her way of making ends meet for her family. Ndzimandze also admitted that this was her second time stealing, having previously stolen from an Indian shop in Sidwashini without being caught.
Appearing not seeing her sincerity, the court told Ndzimandze that records show that she had a prior record for shoplifting and that she had been arrested before for a similar offence which occured at the Manzini Shoprite.
Moreover, Court President Shongwe said she had appeared twice before the Manzini Magistrates Court and once before the Mbabane Magistrate Court.
Ndzimandze eventually admitted to these previous offenses and further disclosed that she works with a male accomplice in her operation. She also said the partner in crime was present during the Woodlands shoplifting but fled the scene in a Honda Fit as soon as he saw that things went south.
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